


Project Lookfar

by PEMercy



Category: Original Work
Genre: Corruption, Flashbacks, Gen, Isolation, Morality, Robots, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28783863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PEMercy/pseuds/PEMercy
Summary: Dr Navene has dreamed of becoming a part of the space program in The Academy all her life. She is selected to become a part of Project Lookfar, a solo expedition to find a viable earth-like planet to settle. She is sent out alone, with only the AI Zegor for company. She finds herself sucked into flashbacks as isolation grips her.Soon, however, she begins to realize that The Academy and Project Lookfar are not what they seem. How can she confront the truth? And more troubling, what can she do to change it?An isolated scientist questions her morality and her passion after a crushing secret comes to light.
Relationships: Original Character & Original Character, Original Female Character & Original Female Character





	Project Lookfar

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for whoever clicks on this. I wrote this in my Creative Writing course last semester and decided to share it. This is my first venture into science fiction. I hope you enjoy!

Her hand merged with the glass. She cupped it, catching the glittering ball of blue and green between her fingers and stroking it as if she were Mother Nature herself. There was a tug in her chest, as if her body was telling her she didn’t belong here in this small, pressurized tin can. Her eyes glazed over, remembering the rustling trees, the bustling cities, fresh food, before a buzzing came over the intercom.

“Dr. Navene? The sampling is complete. Upon analysis it seems there was no oxygen in the debris.” Silence loomed, and she felt as thrown around as a shard of debris from the unknown void. “Dr. Navene? The sample is complete-”

“Thank you Zegor. There will be no further need for analysis at this time.” Her eyes strayed to the swirling fuzziness of the clouds below her. The intercom buzzed again, and Zegor’s mechanical voice answered flatly in the affirmative. Reclining in the small window she was allowed, she felt her hair billow around her face. Reaching one pale hand back, she smoothed it over her ear, although it was just a matter of time until it spread across her face again. Normally she’d tie it up, but today it hung loose, crawling over every inch of her body like an alien creature. Its caresses comforted her, reminded her of what fingers felt like, emulated a kiss to the brow. Her skin contrasted the dark brown curls, the palest it had ever been despite being exposed to the sun's harshest rays. 

“Zegor, what date is it?” Her voice echoed loudly, bouncing off the small space as his eye popped out of the wall and watched her, the green pupil adjusting. They’d made him to act as human as possible, a possible conduit to the world she left behind, but instead it became a cruel trick that gave her just enough to remember, but not enough to _embrace._

“It is December 24th 2055,” his intercom hummed softly.

“Do you know what Christmas is, Zegor?”

“Yes, Dr. Navene. It was programmed into my memory. Shall I fetch the first article under the search ‘Christmas’?” Empty words from a hunk of metal. She didn’t want to read about things she couldn’t feel anymore, emotions long buried under the monotony of space, the endless stretch of time reaching across the cosmos.

“No, thank you.” She laid back again, this time with her eyes closed. If she didn’t look at what she couldn’t have, maybe she could forget. Memories were so messy anyways.

***

She shifted in her pristine outfit, fiddling with the small white tassels that hung from her wide shoulder pads. On her chest, the pinned nametag glittered and spelled out her name in fancy lettering:  _ Krystal Navene.  _ Her arms ached as she stood to attention, and the cadet next to her muffled a cough into their gloved hand. Before her, the massive glass dome of The Academy loomed, sparkling as if made of crystal in the lukewarm spring sun. The small crowd of forty or so cadets seemed so out of place in this small green enclosure, where willow trees rustled in the wind and the ground was littered with wildflowers. The smartly dressed man in front of her, whose name tag read Dr Hassoff, descended upon them.

“Straighten up cadets!” he barked. There was a noticeable shift in the crowd as they responded, and he continued, “You have all been selected for our space travel program. We here at The Academy have chosen you because you are the highest testing, best performing cadets.”

The crowd stayed silent, but Krystal could feel the excitement bubbling under her skin. She had worked so hard these last four years, spending nights in the library until her eyes burned and training in the flight simulators for so long that when she left she couldn’t walk straight anymore. She snapped back to attention as Dr Hassoff began to describe what their task would entail. 

“You will all be working with our top scientists to revolutionize space travel. Our engineers will help some of you learn how to construct the highest quality of spacecraft. Some of you will work with our biologists in a zero gravity environment to adjust to living in space for extended periods of time. Our chemists will work with you to ensure you are able to analyze the data found on other planets.” His eyes scanned the crowd, and she felt a shiver go down her spine. She had always loved science, and after four years of undergrad, she was more than ready to complete her doctorate here, doing such amazing work. “Lastly, at the conclusion of the program, one of you will be selected to live for five years on a revolutionary spacecraft, Project Lookfar. You will be tasked with finding a new Earth-like planet so that we can begin our transition to a cleaner and better future for us all.”

She felt a burst of ambition. She was determined to be the one to go, to do this incredibly vital work, to save millions of lives from the polluted slums of the cities and into a new future. Dr Hassoff’s last words echoed through her ears as he turned and began to walk back towards the dome. 

“ _ Our future will depend on you. Don’t disappoint us. _ ”

***

Opening her eyes, Dr. Navene was met with the same blank ceiling. Sliding out from her window seat, she reached for a hair tie and subdued her wild and whispering hair. Pushing off the ground, she floated to the other side of the small research chamber.

“Dr. Navene, I have detected an anomaly in Sample 10,” Zegor clicked on, his disembodied voice drawing her to the wall of computers and dials. “It appears to have select traces of minerals conducive to life. Shall I contact Control?”

For a second it was as if she was the comet they had pulled the debris from, whipping around space like a boomerang, collecting dust from various places, all of this only to remain in the frozen corners of the world, only knowing warmth by an occasional brush with a star, a brush with death. But then, like the globe that was keeping her in orbit, she was pulled back to earth and hopelessness poured over her like gasoline. Now she just needed to find a match.

“No, not now Zegor. Do more tests. we have to be sure where and when it comes from.” She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, allowing herself to drift once more. “Our very survival counts on it.”

“Yes Dr. Navene, I shall be on standby to report once you give the word.”

She opened her eyes slowly, looking at the long list of non-viable samples listed in red on the computer screen. The one viable sample listed in green taunted her. She could save everyone from death, but was death worse than their fate on this new enterprise?

***

A hand waved in front of her face. Reluctantly, her eyes slid from the computer screen filled with complex tables and data analysis. Her friend Jenny was peering down at her, her green eyes shining with worry, and her russet hair tucked neatly in a bun at the back of her head. 

“Krystal, how long have you been working?” She winced at the concern filtering through her tone.

“Jenny, it’s only midnight,” she mumbled. “But if you must know, I walked in here at noon.” The darkness in the lab wrapped around her, beat away from her face by the bright glow of the computer monitor. Jenny bit her lip and looked away quickly, seemingly frustrated.

“You need to stop doing this. It’s not good for you, Krissy. Why don’t you come back to the apartment with me? You need to sleep, we have simulator training tomorrow.” Her disapproval was sharp, and Krystal dragged herself out of her chair.

“Fine, I’ll go. Just let me shut down the lab.” As they walked out of the silent lab, she felt Jenny relax. She began to bounce a bit when she walked, gleefully leading her back to her room.

“Krystal, I’ve set up a new gadget! This one allows us to just have our face scanned, and we can have a movie picked based on how dilated our pupils are. Not the most scientific, but I had a little extra time and it sounded interesting!” She loved listening to Jenny ramble on about the next big project she was working on. It reminded her of when they’d met, fresh-faced cadets in line for food at the cafeteria, striking up a conversation as naturally as breathing, and Jenny chasing after her to hand her a hastily scribbled phone number. She was always rushing everywhere, eager to learn, to see, to become more. She had a talent for flying, but was always seen in the engineering wing in her free time, whipping us new machines and mechanisms on a whim. It made her wildly popular, but Jenny wasn’t in it for that. She just lived for inventing. 

As they approached the room, Jenny increased in speed, almost bouncing off the walls with excitement.

“Not to disappoint you, but I didn’t come find you just to be a good friend.” Her eyes seemed to shine with excitement. “Krystal, the real reason I had to find you is that I figured out the secret to the tech here. You can make it work for you if you simply switchthe right plug.”

“Really?” Krystal didn’t really think much of it. The tech she worked with usually worked with her anyways.

“Yeah, I mean, all of it is bound to the command center, but I wanted to play around with some of the AIs. They resisted until I pulled the communications and analysis wires from their skulls and switched them. Once disconnected, they follow the next order they are given, rather than command.”

“And why were you experirmenting on their property? They can sue us for damages, you know,” Krystal sighed and shook her head as she collapsed on her own bed. The fuzzy comforter and warm sheets had never felt so good.

Jenny looked unsure, but continued in a whisper. “We don’t know exactly what their orders are, and to be honest I just wanted to see what I could do with my own AI.” She stood up and walked to the closet, opening the door with a bit of flare. “Let me introduce you to Zagitarious and Pregor.” She pointed to each respectively. “I nicked them from the engineering wing. They have a lot of useful tips, and I even taught them how to make hot cocoa.”

Zagitarius was a small robot at about knee high with two stubby arms and glowing purple eyes. He bowed and said in an extremely robotic voice

“Miss Jenny, how can I assist you today?” Pregor simply peaked her boxy little head over his shoulder. She was a lot more lanky, reaching about mid-thigh, and her sharp gold eyes searched the room. 

“I’m good, Zag. This is Krystal; she lives here too. Say hi!”

She could only stare as the two waved slowly. Jenny shut the door again after shutting them off. 

“They’re fun to look at, and I can’t wait to explore more with their functions!” Krystal couldn’t help but find that more than irrelevant, al she wanted to do was drift off to sleep so she could get back to work before dawn. Laying back on her bed, she sighed, her thoughts clouding with anxiety and exhaustion. “Who do you think they’ll choose for Project Lookfar?”

“Where did this comefrom? Is this what’s taken ahold of you these past few weeks? Sleep isn’t just an accessory you know. You actually need it to function.” 

“Yeah, I know. But really, who do you think it’ll be?

“I don’t know, but if I had to bet on it, it would be you. They’d be crazy to pick anyone whose half as smart as you are,” Jenny huffed and smiled fondly. Krystal couldn’t help but feel a twinge of doubt. She had her mind set on this project. She desperately wanted to be the last line of defense for humanity, to usher into a new era.

_ She would do anything to save the world. _

***

It was late on Earth, at least in her timezone. She stayed up, and hadn’t slept in what felt like days. It very well could've been. She’d turned off her clock long ago. She clicked on a small box in her system named after her mission,  _ Project Lookfar. _ She’s seen it multiple times, but had never been able to enter it. She decided that right now it was time to break protocol. What else could she do? 

“Let’s see what you hold,” she breathed.

“That program is restricted. You are not permitted to view it,” Zegor spoke unprompted. “It is classified information.”

Ignoring him, she clicked on it. The usual box popped up.  _ Password Required- Access Denied. _ With a tired sigh, she leaned back in her chair. What could they possibly have to hide from her? She had been chosen for this, informed on every aspect of her mission. Turning to Zegor, she stared in his unblinking eye.

“Let me in. That is an order.” She tried something new. Zegor was complicated, but he wasn’t an empty box of wires. She’d spent enough time by now attempting to engage him, but he still struggled with human emotions. “Zegor. Please. I need you to help me.”

“I can’t,” Zegor buzzed. “I have direct orders to keep the file sealed at all costs.”

Frustrated she ignored him and turned back to the computer. What could the password possibly be? She laid her fingers on the keyboard and switched to her email. Fingers flashing, she attempted to gain access to one of the high-ups. Dr Hassoff was the first she tried. He had weak security and she busted right through. Searching his emails to the board of trustees, she cam upon an encrypted code labeled ‘ _ Access to Lookfar’ _

“What could the code be?” she wondered aloud. Suddenly, she remembered that her computer had software she could co-opt to decode certain patterns. She turned to Zegor and forced his artificial eye upon the page. “Read it aloud.”

“The password for assessing Project Lookfar is KNPLF195. It must be entered in this order. That is all, thank you, Dr Hassoff.” She allowed Zegor to finish, and recited the password under her breath. She entered it quickly, nerves wracking her stomach. Detailed files popped up on the screen, but the subtitle immediately caught her eye.  _ Project Lookfar: A New Colonialism. _

The report detailed plans to travel to another Earth-like planet, to force a mass migration, make millions off the poor masses scrambling to leave a dying Earth. She spent hours pouring over the document, her wide, horrified eyes taking it all in. Spaceships were already prepared to go within thirty lightyears, and each flight would cost hundreds of dollars for the poorest passengers. The plan was to make these flights required if people could afford it, whilst the last few who could not afford it would be left on Earth to care for the decaying landscape. Tears rose to her eyes. This is what she was tasked to do? Find an Earth-like planet only for Earthlings to colonize it, destroy it, and find another place to pillage. Why should she help this? So far no samples were promising, and the plan had been set to be in place As soon as a viable planet is found’. She wouldn’t give it, never. Anger curled in her stomach, and she punched the wall, not regretting the crunch of her knuckles, the pain of a poorly thrown punch. Who could do something like this?

***

She felt her eyes crack open, crusty with a poor sleep. She hadn’t had to come to terms with the decision before her yet. Now that it lay before her, her mind stumbled over the prospect. Tell the command center, and save the Earth from destruction. Keep it to herself, and she doomed this planet, but saved the millions of future souls who would have to scrape out a meagre living elsewhere. As she let the sheer volume of the situation fill her thoughts, her eyes were still inextricably pulled to the planet she once called home, now swathed in darkness and exploding with yellow pinpricks. Humanity could overcome night, but could it conquer the endless void? She didn’t know. Pulling her hand back, she turned again to the research file opened before her. Zegor had finished his report. It was N.950, about twenty lightyears away. She saw the low-res picture her server could find, a fuzzy telescope zoom, hardly visible to the naked eye.

“Zegor, can you enhance this picture? Take an atmosphere reading if you can.” Her voice was cold, emotionless. Here could be the final hope for humanity...but she wondered if they deserved to be saved, and if she should be the one to save them. 

“Image enhanced, the planet appears rocky, within a distance to its star where liquid water can form. Atmospheric gasses appear to be approximately 80% Nitrogen, 15% Oxygen, and 5% other gases.” Zegor’s little green eye flicked to look at her, “Is the information sufficient to be transferred?”

“Hold Zegor.” Her hesitation troubled her. Why couldn’t she just do the job she was assigned? She wanted to help, and yet, she felt devoid of emotion. Why should she care? She never mattered to them anyways.

***

“Destroy it, Zegor.” After a few hours of sitting with her head in her hands, she finally found the courage she’d never had before. She would rather leave everyone to die than have their suffering prolonged on a different planet. And if they were to move, she would never support it being so expensive and alienating to much of humanity. She opened her mouth and the words spilled out unbridled. 

“Destroy the samples, Zegor.”

“What? All the samples?” she could hear his robotic confusion.

“Yes, do it! I cannot be complicit in this!” She remembered how she stood at graduation from the Academy, how proud she had been to be chosen for this project. . . this twisted attempt at crony capitalism. Zegor swug around and uttered the single robotic word that crushed her hope.

“No. The order is to send it to command.” She turned to see hs glitering green eye inches away from her face. 

“Zegor, command will destroy you, turn you into a display. They don’t care for either of us? Why should we give them what we want?” Tears ran from her eyes and she screamed at him, her voice ricchocheting around the room.

“Do it! Contact command, and it will be the last thing you ever do!” Zegor stared at her tearstrewn and angry face impassively. 

“I need to contact command, you have been compromised,” he said quietly, his unblinking eye seeming to stare right through her soul.

“I do not respond to emotional ploys. I have my orders.” She heard him start to radio command and wrenched her hand out, grasping his bulbous metal eye. He shrieked and groaned, trying to send electric shocks down her arm, but she refused to let go. Reaching deftly behind him, she found the tangle of wires that bound his control system. She yanked them until she felt some give, and his eye began to give slightly. As he contorted, she twisted around him and saw the several wires criscrossing and entering several ports. Remembering what her friend Jenny had found out all those years ago, she frantically checked for the words communications and analysis. Luckily, her frantic destruction hadn’t damaged those wires.

As she disconnected them, Zegor’s eye flickered and his voice became static, but as she switched them, everything stabilized. She repeated her request “Destroy all the samples.”

“Of course.” Zegor buzzed, his orders erased, a clean slate on which she poured her intent. “Is there anything you wishe for me to keep?

She just wanted to keep her humanity, but every sample she collected erased that part of herself. She wasted little time in answering. “No.” She heard a click as the samples were scattered into the Earth’s orbit. She felt the tears drying on her cheeks, her hair spun like a wild monster above her head, and she wondered what would become of her now.

The computer screens turned off, and power was cut. The safety lights flicked on, and she let herself bathe in the knowledge that she was free. Zegor had shut down. She was more alone than ever before. They wouldn’t get her now, she had been compromised. Presumed dead. She had condemned herself to the endless void, to a life of isolation. And all she felt was numbness.


End file.
